Since an ink jet recording system is easily applicable to full-color image production, and is less noisy and superior in print quality, its system has been employed for recording an image on a transfer sheet. The properties of the transfer sheet necessary for ink jet recording usually include ink-absorption ability and ink-fixability. Furthermore, for carrying out stable print with use of an ink jet printer having an elaborative mechanism, it is necessary for the sheet to have stability in delivery of a paper and stability of a coating layer (or coat film) on the sheet. If a paper is not delivered stably, a printer is clogged with the paper and it is difficult to form or print a clear or sharp image, and if the coating layer on the sheet comes off at the inside of the printer, the inside of the printer is stained, as a result delivery of a paper or image formation is adversary affected.
On the other hand, for example, when a record image is thermal-transferred to an image-receiving material such as clothes to form a transfer image by means of this transfer sheet, not only thermal transferability and adhesiveness but also high water resistance and washing resistance are required of the sheet.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 16382/1998 (JP-10-16382A) discloses a transfer medium for an ink jet recording which comprises a support, a release layer and a transfer layer containing a fine particle of a thermoplastic resin and a polymeric adhesive of a thermoplastic resin disposed on the support. However, in the transfer medium, the fine particle is liable to come off from the transfer layer, and further, the transfer medium is inadequate in ink-fixability and water resistance.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 290560/1997 (JP-9-290560A) discloses an image-receiving sheet for ink jet comprising a release support and a transfer layer formed on the release support, wherein the transfer layer contains a filler particle, a water-soluble thermoplastic resin and if necessary, water-insoluble thermoplastic resin. However, the sheet is also inadequate in thermal transferability and adhesiveness. Moreover, the fine particle is liable to come off from the transfer layer and is liable to stain the inside of the printer. Furthermore, the sheet is inadequate in ink-fixability, water resistance, and the texture after transcription.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 168250/2000 (JP-2000-168250A) discloses a thermal-transfer sheet which comprises a support, and an ink-receiving layer which is capable of separating from the support, contains at least a thermosetting resin and a hot-melt adhesive resin and is formed on at least one side of the support. However, stability in delivery of the sheet is not enough.
Thus, in the case where stability in delivery of a paper is increased, a fine particle is left off the paper and is liable to stain the inside of the printer. In the case where a fine particle is prevented from dropout, stability in delivery of a paper is reduced.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a transfer sheet which has excellent stability in delivery of a paper as well as prevents the inside of the printer from staining.
It is another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer sheet which is excellent in thermal transferability and adhesiveness.
It is still another object of the present invention is to provide a transfer sheet which is excellent in water resistance, and excellent in texture in case of thermal-transferring to an image-receiving material (e.g., clothes, fabrics).